Abita Turbodog

Beer from Louisiana? Why not! This is my first Abita brew and the entry-level pricing of $19.80 for a six-pack makes me apprehensive, however I wanted to get a nice dark winter beer and the label made it sound like something that would fit the bill nicely. Plus I like brews that pack in pale, crystal and chocolate malts, the more the merry I say. Well here goes beer adventurers. If I’m not back in five minutes please notify the authorities.

Poured from a 355ml bottle into a nonic pint.

A: Presents well with a deep (clear) seal brown body and a generous 3cm khaki head that soon reduces to a thick half centimetre foam. 5/10.

S: Milk chocolate, brown sugar and hints of sweet malt all combine to create a luscious fragrance. As intoxicating as it is there is a notable lack of anything that can be described as hops (i.e. all aboard the malt train people). 7/10.

T: Quite excellent! It is as expected (a malt dominated Ale) but the amount of malt characters it manages to pack in is impressive. There are notes of: milk and dark chocolate, caramel, toffee and roasted barley. The finish is dry with the tiniest hint of herbal hops. After taste brings more sweetness. There is a light metallic twang as well but we’ll forgive it. 9/10.

D: Well, I like it. I like it a lot. It fills a gaping malt-shaped hole in my tongue, if you can imagine it, and is perhaps for me the most interesting English (American) Brown Ale I’ve had to date, primarily due to the lack of hops and the tastiness of the malts. Also there is a decent amount of complexity for what is essentially a cheap beer (not here but in the USA). Would I buy it again? Yes. Does it fill a fridge door niche of malty goodness? Yes. Should I stop asking questions and just get it? Yes. 9/10.

Food match: Borderline dessert beer we have here, but savoury is also a good pick: It’s stew-time baby!*